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Re: How do i receive activation signals from local EM or NWS

Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:53 pm
by 1000chb385
Thanks guys... i figured permission would be needed in any case. i will start with the county commissioners that i know personally , and then talk with our EM. I have met her before, and her department is very open to citizen input. Running sirens is not illegal here; sounding false alarms...now, that's a different story. I'm going to write a proposal to ask if we may assist the county in helping provide outdoor warning for our area. If they say yes, we could be be station #13. the county system is VHF or UHF (the antenna shape indicates that) , and uses DTMF tones. I live in an 1872 schoolhouse located in a historic district--back in the old days--the schoolhouse bell was often used as a warning system...so, why not a model 2? At least...we can run it when the Georgia Bulldogs score a touchdown!

Re: How do i receive activation signals from local EM or NWS

Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:45 pm
by holler
You got three phase? I can hook you up with a three phase siren. I've got a Model 7 that I'm tired of tripping over in my shop.

Since you are in a historic district a lot of old houses had an open delta bank to feed the three phase A/C, with the other two legs feeding all the single phase stuff.

Back before they outlawed the delta breaker.

Re: How do i receive activation signals from local EM or NWS

Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:34 pm
by 1000chb385
Yes, holler, we do have three phase lines in my neighborhood.... My place has only 1 phase ...oh well. i would like a model 7 anyway for my siren-art collection :)

Ok... citizen operated siren stations. we have private parking services for many cities, volunteer fire departments, private incarceration companies, private highway management, etc. AND we have city governments, and ignorant meteorologists advocating the elimination of outdoor warning systems. They say that the expense of maintaining is too high--to cite one of their reasons.

Why not, then, have some privately maintained and operated warning stations? like i said before...we in Athens do not have 100% coverage..and this info is straight from the officials. I don't want to complicate the officials jobs....i wanna volunteer and bring the noise, too :)

Re: How do i receive activation signals from local EM or NWS

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 8:15 pm
by MattDean1003
I highly doubt Athens EMA director will give you anything related to sirens other than the basic information as to where they are at. They didn't really want to tell me that much a few years back and now the only information I can find about the Athens sirens is the locations of the 2001's on the UGA campus.

I live in Bogart...a siren out here would be nice. Been trying to get Oconee County to put one in since I was a kid.

Re: How do i receive activation signals from local EM or NWS

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:38 pm
by 1000chb385
They did tell me where every siren is located in Athens...i plan to ride my bike to each station and create a map.
Also explained how the activation system works. Each station has its own address (set of tones) and signals the central control of which sirens are on or off.....sorry...dont want to go on and on

I'm planning to speak to more Commissioners, neighbors, and the Cobbham neighborhood association about this. -so far, everyone i have spoken with likes the idea- If positive vibes, i will present the idea to Fire Chief George, and EMA Director Burgess.

I am allowed to have my own alarm system that can be locally activated. Our signalling device will be motor-driven :)

Re: How do i receive activation signals from local EM or NWS

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:45 pm
by holler
That's awesome.

Re: How do i receive activation signals from local EM or NWS

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:17 pm
by 1000chb385
we will see what happens. never hurts to ask questions and to know some of the officials in town. maybe they will have more public siren stations installed. Clarke county had way better coverage with the old Thunderbolts than now.

Re: How do i receive activation signals from local EM or NWS

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 3:57 pm
by MattDean1003
Dang, he wouldn't tell me ANYTHING the last time I spoke with him other than they're tested once a year. There's one of the sirens in an odd location, at Tallasee Shoals Dam, off Highway 330. You can see it on Google Maps.

At one time there was a Skywarn page posted that I linked to on here with a list of all of the locations of Clarke County's sirens but that page has been long gone. If they'll let you follow through with what you're wanting to do then that's pretty awesome. I wish Oconee County would put up a system. Every surrounding county to me has sirens.

I'm interested to see how this goes.